Signalling devices for coke-oven batteries



Jan 10, 1956 HABEERLE ET AL 2,730,707

SIGNALLING DEVICES FOR COKE-OVEN BATTERIES Filed April 18, 1951 4Sheets-Sheet 1 Jan. 10, 1956 A. HABEERLE ET AL 2,730,707

SIGNALLING DEVICE$ FOR COKEOVEN BATTERIES Filed April 18, 1951 4Sheets-Sheet 2 Jan. 10, 1956 HABEERLE ETAL SIGNALLING DEVICES FORCOKE-OVEN BATTERIES 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed April 18, 1951 Jan. 10, 1956A. HABEERLE Er AL 2,730,707

SIGNALLING DEVICES FOR COKE-OVEN BATTERIES Filed April 18, 195. 4Sheets-Sheet 4 United States Patent SIGNALLING DEVICES FOR COKE-OVENBATTERIES Albert Hiibeerle, Essen-Werden, North Rhine-Westphalia,

and Franz Giidde, Essen, North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany, assignors, bymesne assignments, to Koppers Company, Inc., Pittsburgh, Pa., acorporation of Delaware Application April 18, 1951, Serial No. 221,574

7 Claims. (Cl. 340-282) The present invention relates to an improvedsignalling device for use in conjunction with coke oven batteries of thetype comprising a number of adjacent horizontally disposed cokingchambers.

An object of this invention is to provide means for ensuring the correctalignment of the pusher machine and the coke guide machine relative toone another as well as in respect of a particular coking chamber to bedischarged.

Hitherto various devices have been proposed for controlling andadjusting the position of the pusher machine and the coke guide machinewith respect of a coking chamber to be discharged. However, all theseproposed devices show a number of disadvantages, one such disadvantageresiding in the fact that the operating personnel are obliged to devoteconsiderable time and attention to attain the correct alignment of thetwo machines. Moreover, since modern coke oven batteries often cornprise50 or more coking chambers, and the coke discharge operations of theindividual chambers thus follow each other in rapid succession, it ishardly possible for the operators to devote the necessary time and careto ensuring the proper alignment of the two machines.

According to this invention, there is provided a signalling device foruse with the coke guide and pusher machines of a coke oven battery ofthe type specified, such device comprising signal emitting apparatusadapted to be carried by at least one of the said machines and a signalrecording device adapted to be carried by the other of said machines,said signal emitting apparatus being adapted, as the machine carryingsaid apparatus passes each coking chamber, to transmit a signal in theform of an electric impulse to said signal recording device to cause thelatter to indicate the position of the signal emitting apparatuscarrying machine with respect to the said battery.

A further disadvantage of the said prior devices, particularly in thecase of electrically operated control devices, consists in that hithertono safety measures were provided to eliminate possible failures of thedevices.

Now, according to a further feature of this invention, thesedisadvantages are overcome by providing a crosscheck recording deviceadapted to be carried by the machine, or one of the machines, carryingsaid signal emitting apparatus, said cross-check recording device beingadapted to repeat the indications of said signal recording device of theother machine. Thus the operator of the machine carrying the saidcross-check recording device can verify that the correct indication isgiven by the said signal recording device of the other machine.

Further features of this invention will become appar ent from thesubsequent description of two embodiments of the invention, and variousmodifications thereof, illustrated diagrammatically in the appendeddrawings in which:

Figure 1 is a diagrammatic plan view of one embodiment of thisinvention;

ice

Figures 2 and 3 are diagrammatic representations of a second embodiment;

Figure 4 is a perspective representation of the checking switch employedin the apparatus illustrated by Fig. 2; and

Figure 5 is a block diagram of the wiring employed in the apparatusillustrated by Figs. 2 and 3.

Referring to Figure 1, the coke oven battery 1 comprises a number ofhorizontally extending elongated coking chambers 3 separated from oneanother by heating fiues 2. Rail tracks 4 and 5 for the coke guidemachine 6 and the pusher machine7 are provided along the two sidesrespectively of the oven battery 1. The said machines are drivenrespectively by motors 8 and 9.

At the termination of a coking operation in any of the said cokingchambers, the coke which is in the form of a large cake, is pushed outof the chamber by means of the pusher mechanism 10 which is operated bya motor 11. The coke then slides forward between the guides 12 of thecoke guide machine 6, whence it drops into a coke quenching car which isnot shown in this drawing.

The two machines, i. e. the coke guide machine and the pusher machine,are provided with laterally projecting switch actuating members, 13 and14 respectively which are adapted to cooperate with striker plates 15and 15' associated with each of the coking chambers, convenientlycarried by joists 16 and 16'.

When the coke guide machine is driven on its rails pas the strikerplates 15, the switch actuating member 13 performs a movement which istransmitted to a signal emitting apparatus 17 mounted on the coke guidemachine. This transmission of movement from the switch actuating member13 to the signal emitting apparatus 17 may, for example, be eflected byconnecting the switch actuating member 13 with gear wheels which in turnare connected with electric contacts so that an electric circuit is madeor broken each time a movement of the switch actuating member 13 occurs.

Alternatively, however, the transformation of the mechanical movementsof the said switch actuating memher into electric impulses acting on thesignal emitting apparatus may be effected by constructing the switchactuating member 13 itself as a contact carrying member of an electricswitch adapted directly to make and break an electric circuit. I

An electric impulse from the signal emitting apparatu 17 is transmittedvia the wire 18 to a sliding contact 19 on the coke guide machine bymeans of which it is transmitted to the contact wire 20 alongside thecoke side of the battery, a further slidingcontact 21 on the pushermachine being provided by which the impulse is transmitted from aportion of. line 20 also alongside the pusher side of the oven batteryto a recorder device 22 on the pusher machine. The said recorder deviceis conveniently a simple step recorder actuated by an electromagnet andadapted to rotate a graduated disc through a predetermined angle eachtime an impulse is received by the recorder device.

If the graduations on the said disc are numbered in accordance with thenumber of coking chambers in the battery, and it is arranged that eachimpulse received by the said recorder device is adapted to cause thedisc to rotate by an angle corresponding to the angular separation ofthe successive numbered graduations, the latter may be presentedseriatum in a suitable aperture or window visible to the operator of thepusher machine. Thus the operator of the pusher machine may be informedautomatically of the number of the coking chamber in front of which thecoke guide machine is located at any instant, and the said operator mayadjust the position of the pusher machine accordingly.

In order tominimise the effects of faulty contacts between the slidingcontacts 19 and 21 and the wire 20, or of a breakdown of the signalemitting apparatus 17 or of the recorder device 22, the reading of therecorder device 22 is reported back to the coke guide machine and ispresented tothe operator thereof by means of a cross check recorderdevice 26; The said cross check recorder device 26 is conveniently asimple step recorder pr'ovided'with a graduated disc similar tothe'said'recorder device 22 and is actuated by impulses transmittedthereto via" the sliding contact 23 on the pusher machine, contact wire24- alongside the pusher side of the battery and sliding' contact 25 onthe coke guide machine and a portion of contact wire 24' alongside thecoke side of the battery, therecorder device 22 being adapted to closethe electric circuit of line 24' to produce one of said impulses eachtime its graduated disc makes a movement.

order for the pushing operation to commence,

which is usually given by the operator of the coke guide machine, mustnot he issueduntilthe operator of the latter is absolutely certain thatthe pusher machine on the other side of the oven battery has actuallydrawn up in front of the correct oven chamber. To this end, the pushermachine is equipped with a laterally projecting switch actuating. member14 adapted to cooperate with striker plates 1'5" and operate signalemitting apparatus 27 in a manner similar to the above describedarrangement for 17 on the coke guide machine. The impulses of thesignal" emitting apparatus 27 are transmitted by a sliding contact 28 onthe pusher machine and. an associated contact wire 29 alongside thepusher side of the hatteryto a further sliding contact 30 on the cokeguide machine and a portion of. line 29 alongside the coke side of thebattery whence they are transmitted to a signal recorder device 31 whichis carried by the coke guide machine. Inthis way, the operator of thelatter can verify Whether or not the pusher machine has actually arrivedat the same coking chamber as his coke guide machine before giving theorder to the pushing operation to commence. On receipt of such order,the operator of the pusher machine will switch on the motor llwhichoperates the pusher ram 10 in a longitudinal direction.

The transmission of signalling impulses from one machine to the other,as a result of movement of the ma chine's, may continue after themachines have ceased to move. Thus, for example, the movements of theswitch actuating members 13, 14 may be adapted to wind up a mechanicalclockwork which will actuate the. signal emitting apparatus after themachines have stopped moving.

The present invention also provides means for automaticallycoiitrol-lirig the pusher machine in accordance with the setting of thecross check recorder device 26 and the signal recorder device 22 in sucha manner that the driviirg motor 9 of. the pusher machine receivescurrent supply only as long as the numerals indicated on. these tworecorder devices. are dissimilar.

A still further development of the invention consists in an arrangementwherein the motor 11 of the pusher mechanism cannot be switched on untilthe recorder device 31 and the cross check recorder device 26 on theCoke guide machine show the same reading, thus indicating that bothmachines have in fact taken up a position at the two ends respectivelyof a particular oven chamber to be discharged by the pusher machine.

. As hereinbefore described, a switch actuating member may be providedon each. of the two machines, which member cooperates with the strikerplates provided on each of the joists 16 or 16 in order to create.electric impulses in accordance with. the movement of the machines. Inan alternative arrangement, however, the said joists serve as armaturesfor an electromagnet carried by each of the machines so that themagnetic flux of the electromagnet is altered when the machine passeseach of said joists, thereby inducing in a coil arranged on theelectromagnetan impulse which actuatesv the signal emitting device.

Preferably, in the first arrangement above described, the impulses whichare generated by the movement of the machines are unidirectional, the E.M. F. for the circuits-closed by the operation of the said switchactuating members being readily derived, with the aid of a dryrectifier, from the alternating current which is utilised bythe'driving; motors of the machines. If a polarity changer is associatedwith the driving motors, a change of polarity of said E. M. P. will beobtained when the direction. of travel of the machines is reversed; inthis manner the signal recorder devices can be constructed so that theimpulses willlcause rotationof the said graduated discs-thereof in onedirection or the, other accordingto the direction in which the machinestravel.

In the embodiment of the invention hereinbefore described with referenceto Figure 1, three contact wires, 26, 24 and 29, are employed for thetransmission of the electric impulses. However, in the embodimentillustrated by Figures 2, 3, 4 and 5 only a single transmission wireextending on both sides of the oven battery is provided for thetransmission of all the electric impulses, the return being throughearth. This considerably reduces the cost of the installation andappreciably increases the centainty of operation owing to the absence ofa number of sliding contacts, each of which is a potential source of abreakdown'or of faulty operation.

A further feature of the embodiment illustrated in Figures 2", 3, 4 and5 is'that the electric impulses, by which the position of the coke guidemachine is primarily indicated at the pusher machine, diiiercharacteristically from those by which this primary indication isreported back to the cross check recorder device.

Referring to Figures 2, 3, 4 and 5, all the components and wires shownon Figure 2, are arranged on a control stand on the coke guide machine,i. e. on that side of the battery on which the coke is discharged,whilst all the components and wires shown on Figure 3 are arranged on asimilar control stand mounted on the pusher machine on the so-calledpusher-side of the battery.

The said two control stands are connected with one another merely by onesingle contact wire 32, the earth serving as a return.

The coke side of the battery is roughly indicated in the drawing bythree coking chambers 33 which are separated from one another by heatingflues 34. Striker plates 35 are associated respectively with each of thecoking chambers, whilst the coke guide machine carries a switchactuating member 36, the arrangement being such that the said switchactuating member rides against the saidstriker plates when the cokeguide machine is driven past the oven chambers.

Assuming now that the coke guide machine is travelling to the right, i.e. in the direction of arrow 37, the pinion 38 of the driving motorrotates in a clockwise direction and the switchv 39' associatedtherewith is in the position shown. The switch 39 is adapted toco-operate with a transformer 40, the latter being a single phasetransformer having its primary winding connected to the mains R, S,whilst its secondary winding 41 is centre tapped at 42 and earthed,grounded, by wire 43 so that the instantaneous voltages at the ends 44and 45 of the. secondary winding 41. with respect to earth, grounded,are equal but differ by 1'80v degrees in phase. Depending upon thedirection in which the machine is travelling, the switch 39 connects thecontacts 46 and 47 associated with the switch actuating member 36 andeither the end 44 (when travelling in the direction of arrow 3?), or theend 45 (when travelling in the opposite direction), of the secondarywinding 41 of the transformer 40.

Every time the switch actuating member 36 of the coke guide machinestrikes one of the striker plates, the contact 46 is closed so thatcurrent flows from the transformer 40 through wires 48 and 49 throughthe coils of anew . 5 relays 50 and 51 to the ends 52 and 53 of thesecondary winding .54 of a further transformerSS havingits primarywinding connected to mains R, S, whilst its? secondary winding is centretapped and earthed at '56; The armatures of the relays 50 and 51 areadapted, when the latter are energised, to act on crank levers 57 and 58which in turn are adapted to withdraw the pawls 59 and 60 fromengagement with the ratchet teeth of the graduated disc 61 of theindicator device.

The two pawls 59 and 60 are interconnected by means of a bridge member62 with the armature of an electromagnet 63 which is energised by thetransformer 55.

The disc 61 is provided over one half of itscircumference with the samenumber of ratchet teeth 64 as the number of coking chambers which mustbe passed by the coke-guide machine, whilst the other half of the discis provided with an identical number of ratchet teeth 65 but inclined inthe opposite direction. An indicating window 66 shows the number of theparticular coking chamber in front of which the coke. guide machine hasarrived, each number being associated with a separate rachet tooth.

The relays 50 and 51 are energized not only by current from thesecondary winding of transformer 40 by way of contact 46, but also bycurrent from the secondary winding of transformer 55. The relays 50 and51 are arranged in series with the transformer 55 whilst they areconnected in parallel with transformer 40. It is arranged that thesecondary voltage of the transformer 55 is insufiicient by itself, toenergize the relays 50 and 51 to close the contacts 67 or 68. Similarly,secondary voltage of the transformer 40 is by itself insufficient toenergize the said relays 50 and 51 to close the contacts 67 or '68.

However, since both relays 50 and 51 are simultaneously supplied withcurrent from both transformers 40 and 55 as soon as the switch actuatingmember 36 has closed the contacts 46, the combined current which nowflows through one of the relays will now be of sufficient value fully toenergize that relay; in the other relay, in which the voltages of thetwo transformers difier by 180, the combined current will be of verysmall value, preferably zero, so that this relay will not be' energized.It thus depends solely upon the direction in which the coke guidemachine is being driven past the coking chambers when contacts 46 areclosed, which one of the two relays, 50 or 51, is fully energized. 1

Thus, assuming the switch 39 'to be in'the position shown in Figure 2,then, at a given instant, the end 45 of the secondary 41 of transformer40 and the end 52 of the secondary 54 of transformer 55 may have apositive voltage with respect to earth. This is achieved by choosingsuitable connections for the primary windings of both transformers 40and 55 to themains R, S. Anegative potential: with respect to earth thenobtains, of course, at

'the opposite ends 44 and 53 of the transformer secondary windings 4Thus, if at this instant the contacts 46 are closed, the

respectively.

negative potential derived from transformerfit) will obtain at thoseends of coils of the relays 50 and'Sl which are connected to the wire49, whilst a positive potential obtains at the opposite end of the relaycoil 50 and a negative potential obtains at the opposite end of the saidrelay coil 51. However, the transformer 55 is'at this instant causing acurrent to flow through the coil of relay 50 in the same direction asthe current derived from the transformer 40, whilst in the coil of relay51 these two currents are opposed to one another. Consequently the relay50 is sufliciently energized towithdraw the pawl 59 from its lockingposition by means of the crank lever 57, whilst closing the contact 67,whilst the pawl 60 remains unaffected in its locking position. r

The closing of contact 67 closes an auxiliary circuit which is suppliedwith current by the secondary winding selectors.

52, 63, 67 and 53. When this auxiliary circuit is closed, theelectromagnet 63 lifts ,the pawl by means of the crank lever 58 andcauses the disc 61 of the indicator device to rotate through thedistance of one tooth in a clockwise direction. As soon as the switchactuating member 36 is disengaged from the striker plate on the joist,the contact 46 is opened and the relay 50 and the electromagnet 63return to their initial conditions.

When the direction of travel of the coke guide machine is reversed,switch 39 will connect the end 45 of the secondary of transformer 40 tothe contacts 46, and consequently when these contacts are closed, thevoltages applied to the relay 51 will be in phase and this relay will beenergized to close the contacts68 and to raise pawl 60 out of engagementwith the ratchet teeth 64. Thus,

when the electromagnet 63 is energized, the disc 61 will be rotated inan anti-clockwise direction.

The operator of the pusher machine is informed as to the par'ticularoven chamber at which he is required to place his machine in thefollowing manner:

The A. C. impulse which has been generated in the above described mannerby the impact of the switch-actuating member 36 of the cokeguide machinewith a striker plate 36 is transmitted via wire 48 and a condenser 69 tothe sliding contact 70 and thence via the contact wire 32 to the secondsliding contact 71 which is arranged on the pusher side of the battery,through a further condenser 72, to contact point 73. From this point 76is energized, pawl 79 is withdrawn from ratchet disc 78, in the samemanner as pawls 59 and 60 are withdrawn from the teeth or 64 onenergization'of relay 50 or 51.

Thus it will be apparent that the recorder device on the pusher machineis synchronized, i. e. records the numbers in the same fashion andsimultaneously, with the indicator device 34 on the coke-guide machinein order that the operator of the pusher machine should always beinformed of the exact position of the coke-guide machine on thecoke-side of the battery.

Owing to the fact that the impulses emitted from the coke-guide machineare transmitted to the pusher machine via two sliding contacts, it ispossible that they arrive in a weakened state and thereby cause anincorrect number to be recorded by the recorder device 79 on the pushermachine whilst the operator of the cokeguide machine remains unaware ofthis imperfect transmission. In order to counteract such an occurrence,the invention provides an arrangement whereby the movement on theratchet disc 78 of the recorder device is automatically reported back tothe coke-guide machine. If

from those by which this primary indication is reported back to the saidcross-check recorder device. Since both these sets of impulses aretransmitted by the said wire 32, it is necessary to discriminate betweenthem, and this may be effected in'a known manner by means of Thusconveniently A. C. of a frequency of 50 cycles per second is employedfor the primary indicator impulses transmitted from the cokeguidemachine whilst D. C. may be employed for the said cross-check arena-o?impulses from the pusher machine. one or the enter fad- Wantages'inem'pIOying D. C. tor'the'se latter impuis'e's lies in thef'a'ctthatthe said selectors may then be of particularly simple construction.

The said "cross-check report of the indication of the recorder device ofthe Ipushe'r machine to the coke-guide machine is eifected in thefollowing manner: I I I When the coke-guide machine travels in thedirection of arrow 37, the impulses from the coke-guide 'rnachine causethe energization of relay 75, as previously explained, and theconsequent closing of contacts 30 and 81, therebyenergizingelectromagnet 'SZ and e'ffectingthe rotation of disc 78 in aclockwise direction and the closing'of contacts '83. A. C. from the end84 of the secondany winding of transformer 74 passes via 83 and '80 tothe half-wave rectifier 85, which suppresses one halt waveso thatpulsating D. C. obtains atfthe other side of said rectifier 85. Thispulsating D. C. then flows through the choke coil 86, via slidingcontact 71, contact wire 32, sliding contact 70, through choke coil 87'to contact point 33, and thence through the half-wave rectifier 89,switches 90 and 91 and relay 92 to earth, thereby energizing this relay9-2, closing contacts '93 and cansing the energization of theelectromag'net 94 in such a manner that the cross check recording-devicedisc 95 rotates in the same sense as the indicator-device disc 61 andthe recorder device-disc 78.

In order further to lessen the responsibility of the operator of thecoke-guide machine, an arrangement may be provided whereby the indicatordevice disc 61 and the cross-check recorder device disc 95 areautomatically checked for an identical position in both theseinstruments. To this end, there is provided a checking switch 96, whichis diagrammatically shown in Figures 1, 2 and 3. Thus as shown in Figure1, the checking switch '96 conveniently comprises contact mernbe'rs '96and 96" respectively associated with disc '61 and 95, each arranged forrotation with its associated disc and each carryin 'a contact terminal97. When the two discs are in identical positions, the contact terminalscooperate.

The contact terminals '97 of said checking switch 96 "are in series witha relay '98, the arrangenien t being such that contacts 99 are kept openby said relay 98 so long as the same reading is registered by the saidindicator device and the cross-check recorder device and the contactterminals 97 cooperate. If, however, owing to a faulty transmission orother failure, different readings are registered on these instruments,the contact termina1s'97 are separated andhence the relay 98 is releasedand closes the contacts 99, whereby an acoustic signal (e. g. a horn)100 is operated in order to warn the operator of the coke-guide machinethat he must not. at this stage issue the command signal for the pushingoperation to commence. I

I The command signals, e. g. ready for discharge, or stop discharge,which are given by the operator of the coke-guide machine to theoperator of the pusher machine are also transmitted via the said singlecontact wire 32. These command signals are preferably issued only afterboth machines have stopped moving, i. e. at a time when the contact wire32 is free from impulses. The command for the pushing operation tocommence, e. g. ready for pushing is given and transmitted in thefollowing manner: I

The operator of the coke-guide machine depresses the switch 90 therebyenergizing the following circuits: source of A. C. voltage 44, switch90, switch 91, rectifier 101, choke coil 87, contact wire 32, choke coil86, rectifier 102, contacts 103, and signal-receiving device 104, thesignal e. g. a lamp and an alarm) 106, 135 and a relay 107. When thesignal 185 sounds or the lamp 106 lights, the operator of the pushermachine begins the pushing operation by switching on the driving motorof the pusher mechanism.

In order to give further assistance to the operator of the paths;machine and to avoid the hanger of accidents due to racket attention onthe part o'fthe operators, the pusher machine is provided with a furthers'witcir a'ctu'ati i i'g 'inernber 101a contact switch 110, controlledby "the direction of travel of the vehicle, and two relays 111 and 112and an 'e' eetmmagnet 113 for rotating 'a ratchet disc 114 in a similarmanner as described above for the other signalling and "recordingdevices. The ratchet disc 11ft cooperates With the recorder device 'disc78 by rriearis of a checking'swit'ch 115 which is similar inconstruction to the checking s' w'it'ch 96.

Thus, when the pusher machine has arrived at the correct coking chamber,as indicated by the recorder device, the contact 115 is closed so thatthe following How of current results when the "co'r'nrna'ndjsignal readyfor pushing is received: Phasei, c'or'ita'c't 11'6, contacts 117,contacts 113, auxiliary relay 1119, and Phase X.

in this manner the auxiliary relay 119' is 'en'ergiied and contacts 126are erased, Consequently, the coil 121 of the magnetically operatedcircuit-Breaker 122 in the three-phase power supply, represented by X, Yand Z for the driving motor for the pusher mechanism receives currentthrough the following 'circuit': Phase Y, Contact 116 contacts 117,contacts 123, coil 121, and Phase X. T he circuit-brcaker 122 is thusclosed so that the pusher 'r'am can be advanced. I

In practice it sometimes becomes necessary for a signal to be given fromthe coke-side of the battery to stop the pushing operation when this isin progress. In this embodiment of the invention, such a signal ma betransmitted by depression of the press-button switch 91 which isarranged on the control stand of the coke-guide niachin'e. inthe samemanner as switch 90, the operation of switch '91 causes "a D. 'C.irnptilse to be transmitted to the pusher mac ine 'vvh'reby the "commandsignal relay 124 is energii'ed. This command signal relay 124 isconnected in parallel with "an alarm 1 25 and a control light 126 which'are both energized by the said impulse, whilst the energiza'tion ofrelay 124 opens the contacts 117, thereby die-energizing coil 121,opening the circuit breaker 122 and stopping the pusher motor. At thesame time, the operator of the pusher machine is inforn'ied by thecommand signal elements 125 and 126 that this stoppage of the motor isnot due to accident or break-down but is intentional and desired by theope'rtt'torof the coke-guide machine.

Since it frequently happens that the pusher machine has completed allthe necessary preparations for a pushing operation, such as taking upits correct position and the removal of the coke oven door, before thecoke-guide machine on the other sideof the battery is ready for thepushing to co i'neiice, and, in that event the operator ofth's'pnshed'maehine is fully exposed "to heat'iadia'ted from the glowingcoke inside the open even ohainber tor a more or less considerablelength of time, that is to say, until he receives the signal teeanim'encpushing, an o 've'r-ride switch l 27 is provided which cooperates withthe pusher rain 128 and which short-circuits the contact 123 until thepusher ram 128 has arrived immediately in front of the coke to bedischarged so thatthe pressure surface of the pusher ram provides ashield against the radiated heat from the glowing coke in the opencoking chamber. This may thus be done iri'espectively of whether or notthe coke-guide machine has already reached its correctly alignedposition. Beyond this stage, however, the push ram cannot be advancedbefore the command signal or pushing arrives from the coke-guide machineowing to the fact that the switch 127 brings about the interruption ofthe current supply to the pusher motor until this comand has been givenby the operator of the coke-guide machine. II I I Figure -5 is a generalwiring diagram of the device according to the invention wherein theindividual electrical units are indicated by blocks and theprincipaldirections of the impulses are indicated by arrows. in thisfigure,

the impulse-transmitting device, which is controlled by the movement ofthe coke-guide machine in accordance with the direction of travelthereof, is indicated by A. Alternating-current impulses (indicated bybroken arrows) issue from the devices A and pass on to the signalindicating device B on the coke-guide machine and thence to the checkingswitch C (which controls the acoustic signal D), and also to theelectric selector E and, via the contact wire F, to the selector G, fromwhence they are passed on to the recorder device H on the pushermachine.

This recorder device H co-acts mechanically (as indicated by the thicklydrawn continuous arrows) with the check report signalling device I bywhich direct-current impulses (indicated by thin continuous arrows) aresent back through wire J, selector G, contact wire F and selector E tothe cross-check recorder device K of the coke-guide machine; the signalindicating device B and the cross-check recorder device K on thecoke-guide machine co-act mechanically with the checking switch C.

The block L contains the signal-emitting device for the command signals(e. g. ready for pushing or stop pushing) which are transmitted onlyafter the vehicles have stopped moving. The reading of the signalrecorder device H on the pusher machine is compared with the reading ofthe signal indicator device M on the pusher machine (which latterreading is, of course, produced by operation of the signal-emitter N) bymeans of a mechanical connection including the checking switch 0. Thecheck-report signalling device I also controls the command signalreceiving device comprised in block for the command signals which areissued from block L of the coke-guide machine.

The invention as hereinabove set forth is embodied in particular formand manner but may be variously embodied within the scope of the claimshereinafter made.

What we claim is:

1. A signalling device for synchronously controlling the coke guide andpusher machines on opposite sides of a coke oven battery, comprising aseries of elements arranged along the coke side of the battery incorrespondence with the individual oven chambers; a coke guide positionelectrical signal impulse emitting apparatus carried by said coke guidemachine and a coke guide position signal recording device carried bysaid pusher machine and adapted to be operated by impulses of the cokeguide position signal impulse emitting apparatus on the coke guidemachine into positions that correspond with the respective positions ofthe coke guide machine relative to the individual oven chambers of thebattery; said signal impulse emitting apparatus being adapted, as thecoke guide machine passes each coking chamber, to be operated by therespective said elements of the oven chambers to transmit a signal inthe form of an electric impulse to said coke guide position signalrecording device on the pusher machine to cause said recording device toindicate on the pusher machine the individual position of the coke guidemachine with respect to the ovens of said battery; a cross-checkrecording device carried by the coke guide machine and adapted to beoperated by electric impulses into positions to repeat the indicationsof said coke guide position signal recording device on the pushermachine; an electric impulse emitting apparatus on the pusher machineoperable on operation of the coke guide position recording device totransmit an equivalent electric impulse to the cross-check recordingdevice on the coke guide machine; a coke guide position signal recordingdevice carried by the coke guide machine and adapted to be operated bythe impulses of the coke guide position signal impulse emittingapparatus on the coke guide machine into positions that correspond withthe respective positions of the coke guide machine relative to theindividual oven chambers of the battery; a circuit for the pushermachine for efiecting the forward travel of a pusher ram on that machineto push coke charges in the oven chambers out of the same through thecoke guide machine and electrical control means on the cokeguide'machine for opening and closing the forward travel circuit on the pushermachine for its pusher ram; means on the coke guide machine operable,when the coke guide position signal recording and the cross-checkrecording devices on the coke guide machine show different ovenpositions, to prevent operation of said electrical control means and topermit such operation when said devices show identical oven positions;and which includes an override switch on the pusher machine forcompleting the pusher ram forward travel circuit independently of theelectrical control means for that circuit on the coke guide machine, foradvancing the ram up to the oven charges to be pushed but not beyondthis stage of travel.

2. A signalling device for synchronously controlling the coke guide andpusher machines on opposite sides of a coke oven battery, comprising aseries of elements arranged along the coke side of the battery incorrespondence with the individual oven chambers; a coke guide positionelectrical signal impulse emitting apparatus carried by said coke guidemachine and a coke guide position signal recording device carried bysaid pusher machine and adapted to be operated by impulses of the cokeguide position signal impulse emitting apparatus on the coke guidemachine into positions that correspond with the respective positions ofthe coke guide machine relative to the individual oven chambers of thebattery; said signal impulse emitting apparatus being adapted, as thecoke guide machine passes each coking chamber, to be operated by therespective said elements of the oven chambers to transmit a signal inthe form of an electric impulse to said coke guide position signalrecording device on the pusher machine to cause said recording device toindicate on the pusher machine the individual position of the coke guidemachine with respect to the ovens of said battery; a cross-checkrecording device carried by the coke guide machine and adapted to beoperated by electric impulses into positions to repeat the indicationsof said coke guide position signal recording device on the pushermachine; and electric impulse emitting apparatus on the pusher machineoperable on operation of the coke guide position recording device totransmit an equivalent electric impulse to the cross-check recordingdevice on the coke guide machine; a coke guide position signal recordingdevice carried by the coke guide machine and adapted to be operated bythe impulses of the coke guide position signal impulse emittingapparatus on the coke guide machine into positions that correspond withthe respective positions of the coke guide machine relative to theindividual oven chambers of the battery; and which includes a circuit onthe pusher machine for eitecting the forward travel of a pusher ram onthat machine to push coke charges in the oven chambers out of the samethrough the coke guide machine; a series of elements arranged along thepusher side of the battery in correspondence with the individual ovenchambers; pusher machine position electrical signal impulse emittingapparatus carried by the pusher machine; a pusher machine positionsignal recording device carried by the pusher machine and adapted to beoperated by the impulses of the pusher machine position signal impulseemitting apparatus on the pusher machine into positions that correspondwith the respective positions of the pusher machine relative to theindividual oven chambers of the battery; said pusher machine positionsignal emitting apparatus being adapted, as the pusher machine passeseach oven chamber, to be operated by the respective elements of the ovenchambers to transmit a signal in the form of an electric impulse to thepusher machine position signal recording device to cause the latter toindicate the individual position of the pusher machine with respect tothe ovens of said battery; and means on the pusher machine operable toclose the circuit for forward travel of the pusher ram only when thecoke guide position signal recording device on the pusher machine, andthe pusher machine position signal recording device on the pushermachine are in positions showing identical oven positions.

3. Apparatus as claimed in claim 2 and which includes a pusher machineposition signal recording device carried by the coke guide machine andadapted to be operated by the impulses of the pusher machine positionsignal emitting apparatus on the pusher machine into positions thatcorrespond with the respective positions of the pusher machine relativeto the individual oven chambers of the battery.

4. A signalling device according to claim 3, wherein the saidsignal-recording devices include a graduated sector or disc adapted tobe rotated in steps in either direction in accordance with the directionof travel the coke guide and pusher machines.

5. A signalling device according to claim 4, wherein the rotation of thesaid graduated sector or disc is effected by means ofelectromagnetically-operated pawls cooperating with ratchet teethassociated with said sector or disc, one such pawl being adapted toeffect rotation of the sector or disc in one direction, and another suchpawl being adapted to effect rotation of the sector or disc in the otherdirection, said pawls being energized simultaneously by two alternatingvoltages applied thereto, one such voltage being applied continuouslythereto and the other being derived from the impulse transmitted fromsaid signal-emitting apparatus; the circuits by which these voltages areapplied to energize said pawls being so arranged that the voltages areopposed in phase at one pawl and similar in phase at the other pawl toenergize the latter pawl to efiect rotation or the sector or disc, thephase relationship of the impulse voltage with respect to saidcontinuously applied voltage being varied in accordance with thedirection of motion of the respective coke guide and pusher machinesignal-carrying emitting apparatus.

6. A signalling device according to claim 5, wherein the said impulsevoltage is derived from a center-tapped secondary winding of atransformer, the said impulse voltage being obtained between the saidcenter-tapping and one or the other ends of said secondary winding inaccordance with the direction of motion of the coke guide and pushermachines carrying signal-emitting apparatus.

7. A signalling device according to claim 2- and in which the means onthe pusher machine operable to close the circuit for forward travel ofthe pusher ram comprises a checking switch adapted to preventadvancement of the pusher ram of the pusher machine when dissimilarindications are shown by said pusher machine position signalrecordingdevices and said coke guide position signal-recording device on thepusher machine.

Reterences Cited in the tile of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS860,001 White July 16, 1907 923,511 Greenbaum June 1, 19.09 1,077,965Pollen et al. Nov. 4, 1913 1,229,225 Carpenter et al. June 12, 19171,368,163 Keigley Feb. 8, 1921 1,391,652 Meitner Sept. 20, 192 1,500,526Porter July 8, 1924 2,338,872 Robidoux Jan. 11, 1944 2,411,389 PetersonNov. 19, 1946 2,421,944 Hughes June 10, 1947

2. A SIGNALLING DEVICE FOR SYNCHRONOUSLY CONTROLLING THE COKE GUIDE ANDPUSHER MACHINES ON OPPOSITE SIDES OF A COKE OVEN BATTERY, COMPRISING ASERIES OF ELEMENTS ARRANGED ALONG THE COKE SIDE OF THE BATTERY INCORRESPONDENCE WITH THE INDIVIDUAL OVEN CHAMBERS; A COKE GUIDE POSITIONELECTRICAL SIGNAL IMPULSE EMITTING APPARATUS CARRIED BY SAID COKE GUIDEMACHINE AND A COKE GUIDE POSITION SIGNAL RECORDING DEVICE CARRIED BYSAID PUSHER MACHINE AND ADAPTED TO BE OPERATED BY IMPULSES OF THE COKEGUIDE POSITION SIGNAL IMPULSE EMITTING APPARATUS ON THE COKE GUIDEMACHINE INTO POSITIONS THAT CORRESPOND WITH THE RESPECTIVE POSITIONS OFTHE COKE GUIDE MACHINE RELATIVE TO THE INDIVIDUAL OVEN CHAMBERS OF THEBATTERY; SAID SIGNAL IMPULSE EMITTING APPARATUS BEING ADAPTED, AS THECOKE GUIDE MACHINE PASSES EACH COKING CHAMBER, TO BE OPERATED BY THERESPECTIVE SAID ELEMENTS OF THE OVEN CHAMBERS TO TRANSMIT A SIGNAL INTHE FORM OF AN ELECTRIC IMPULSE TO SAID COKE GUIDE POSITION SIGNALRECORDING DEVICE ON THE PUSHER MACHINE TO CAUSE SAID RECORDING DEVICE TOINDICATE ON THE PUSHER MACHINE THE INDIVIDUAL POSITION OF THE COKE GUIDEMACHINE WITH RESPECT TO THE OVENS OF SAID BATTERY; A CROSS-CHECKRECORDING DEVICE CARRIED BY THE COKE GUIDE MACHINE AND ADAPTED TO BEOPERATED BY ELECTRIC IMPULSES INTO POSITIONS TO REPEAT THE INDICATIONSOF SAID COKE GUIDE POSITION SIGNAL RECORDING DEVICE ON THE PUSHERMACHINE; AND ELECTRIC IMPULSE EMITTING APPARATUS ON THE PUSHER MACHINEOPERABLE ON OPERATION OF THE COKE GUIDE POSITION RECORDING DEVICE TOTRANSMIT AN EQUIVALENT ELECTRIC IMPULSE TO THE CROSS-CHECK RECORDINGDEVICE ON THE COKE GUIDE MACHINE; A COKE GUIDE POSITION SIGNAL RECORDINGDEVICE CARRIED BY THE COKE GUIDE MACHINE AND ADAPTED TO BE OPERATED BYTHE IMPULSES OF THE COKE GUIDE POSITION SIGNAL IMPULSE EMITTINGAPPARATUS ON THE COKE GUIDE MACHINE INTO POSITIONS THAT CORRESPOND WITHTHE RESPECTIVE POSITIONS OF THE COKE GUIDE MACHINE RELATIVE TO THEINDIVIDUAL OVEN CHAMBERS OF THE BATTERY; AND WHICH INCLUDES A CIRCUIT ONTHE PUSHER MACHINE FOR EFFECTING THE FORWARD TRAVEL OF A PUSHER RAM ONTHAT MACHINE TO PUSH COKE CHARGES IN THE OVEN CHAMBERS OUT OF THE SAMETHROUGH THE COKE GUIDE MACHINE; A SERIES OF ELEMENTS ARRANGED ALONG THEPUSHER SIDE OF THE BATTERY IN CORRESPONDENCE WITH THE INDIVIDUAL OVENCHAMBERS; PUSHER MACHINE POSITION ELECTRICAL SIGNAL IMPULSE EMITTINGAPPARATUS CARRIED BY THE PUSHER MACHINE; A PUSHER MACHINE POSITIONSIGNAL RECORDING DEVICE CARRIED BY THE PUSHER MACHINE AND ADAPTED TO BEOPERATED BY THE IMPULSES OF THE PUSHER MACHINE POSITION SIGNAL IMPULSEEMITTING APPARATUS ON THE PUSHER MACHINE INTO POSITIONS THAT CORRESPONDWITH THE RESPECTIVE POSITIONS OF THE PUSHER MACHINE RELATIVE TO THEINDIVIDUAL OVEN CHAMBERS OF THE BATTERY; SAID PUSHER MACHINE POSITIONSIGNAL EMITTING APPARATUS BEING ADAPTED, AS THE PUSHER MACHINE PASSESEACH OVEN CHAMBER, TO BE OPERATED BY THE RESPECTIVE ELEMENTS OF THE OVENCHAMBERS TO TRANSMIT A SIGNAL IN THE FORM OF AN ELECTRIC IMPULSE TO THEPUSHER MACHINE POSITION SIGNAL RECORDING DEVICE TO CAUSE THE LATTER TOINDICATE THE INDIVIDUAL POSITION OF THE PUSHER MACHINE WITH RESPECT TOTHE OVENS OF SAID BATTERY; AND MEANS ON THE PUSHER MACHINE OPERABLE TOCLOSE THE CIRCUIT FOR FORWARD TRAVEL OF THE PUSHER RAM ONLY WHEN THECOKE GUIDE POSITION SIGNAL RECORDING DEVICE ON THE PUSHER MACHINE, ANDTHE PUSHER MACHINE POSITION SIGNAL RECORDING DEVICE ON THE PUSHERMACHINE ARE IN POSITIONS SHOWING IDENTICAL OVEN POSITIONS.